Gearbox Pickleball Paddles & Equipment Reviews 2018

Gearbox pickleball paddles are made by a California based company that was founded by professional racquetball player Rafael Filippini. As an expert in composite materials, with over 25 years experience in the industry, Flippini holds several patents for the use of composites in racquet technology. His skill as a pro racquetball player and extensive knowledge in the field of composites led to the birth of Gearbox.

Although early on the company concentrated primarily on racquetball racquets and equipment, it has since broadened it's scope to include other racquet sports, including pickleball. The San Diego based company expanded their lineup in 2015 by launching a series of paddleball and pickleball paddles.The G11 Gearbox paddle seems to be the one getting the most attention on the courts.

Single Piece Construction: One of the main complaints about edgeless paddles is that the layers of material tend to separate over time due to repeated shock from hitting the ball and the edge from getting banged up. Gearbox claims to have solved that problem with this unibody construction

Carbon fiber: The single piece of carbon fiber provides an even playing surface. These paddles have no honeycomb core like you find in most pickleball paddles. This make for a more uniform surface and according to the company- no dead spots.

1 Year Warranty: All of Gearbox's paddles have a one year warranty covering defects. ​

Gearbox Paddle Lines

Original Gearbox Paddle: ​ You have to give credit to Gearbox for making their names easy to understand. Some other companies have names that are hard to remember or decipher. Not these! They are named: Seven, Eight and Nine.Very logical, since the only thing different is the weight (7 oz, 8 oz and 9 oz).

G2 Gearbox Paddle: Single piecepaddle design using a molded poly honeycomb core and carbon fiber and glass fiber. The construction process uses high heat and pressure to mold the solid paddle.

G7 Gearbox Paddle: the older sibling to the G2. Same shape, size and weight but with the upgraded core vs. the honeycomb core of the previous model.

G11 Gearbox Paddle: the flagship paddle that seems to be making the most waves. Solid span construction, 7.8 ounces and designed for touch.

​Gearbox Original Paddles: Seven, Eight and Nine:

As we mentioned, the paddle technology and specifications on these three paddles is basically identical with just the weight being the only differentiation.

From a player standpoint it makes it easy and practical to compare since the only buying consideration between them is your preferred weight class. At seven, eight and nine ounces, Gearbox provides and option for all playing styes.

An added feature is that the paddles each come in two versions for different grip sizes: 3⅝ or 3 15/16, so you need to make sure you select the best one for your hand size when you purchase one of these paddles. ​This is an innovative idea from Gearbox and something we wish more paddle brands offered.

Compared to most paddles on the market, the seven ounce would be considered lightweight whereas nine is definitely on the heavy side. While the "Nine" may appeal to power hitters and tennis players crossing over into pickleball at nine ounces, it's pretty heavy for your average player so the "Seven" and "Eight" are more likely candidates for most players.

Specifications:​

​Material: Carbon Fiber

Core: Patent Pending Solid Span Technology

Weight: 7 oz, 8 oz or 9 oz

Grip Size: Two choices 3⅝ or 3 15/16

Handle Length: 5½ in

Paddle Length: 15⅞ in

Paddle Head Width: 8in

Paddle Head Length: 10⅜ in

​Gearbox G2 Pickleball Paddle Review

As with all Gearbox paddles, the G2 is edgeless. The paddle features a traditional wide body paddle face. According to the company, the Greinforced interior frame holds up well without a bumper guard around the edge.

Many of the new pickleball paddles on the market have enhanced texture making them easier for spin, so side by side it's not clear this would outperform newer touch paddles that have more "bite".​

G2 Paddle Specifications:​

​Material: Carbon, Glass and Epoxy

Core: Honeycomb Poly Core

Weight: 7.8 oz

Grip Size: 3 ⅞"

Handle Length: 5"

Paddle Length: 15 15/16”

Paddle Head Width: 8"

Paddle Head Length: 10 15/16”

​Gearbox G7 Pickleball Paddle Review

While the G2 has the honeycomb polymer core, the G7 is built with Gearbox's Patent Pending proprietary core which they call "Solid Span" technology.

The core is made up of hand laid layers of composite materials using rib and chamber structure at the core of the paddle​. The end result is a single molded structure: the face, core and paddle frame are all one piece. This core is really what sets Gearbox apart from its peers and what makes their paddles unique.

Due to the single piece construction the company claims the paddles overcome the shortcomings of other paddles and bypass the weakness that layered laminate materials face on other paddles that don't use a edge guard.

For players that are frustrated with frequent mis-hits or lost points from hitting a paddle edge guard, the wide open paddle face with no interfering rim is an attractive feature. Also the feel of the paddle is solid and wide hitting area is a plus with large sweet spot across most of the paddle face.

While the company claims that the solid construction of the paddle ​elimnated the need for a protective edge, when looking at a paddle that's gotten a fair amount of use one can see some signs of visual damage around the paddle edge.

This is understandably based on the fact that there is no bumper. From the paddles we have seen the damage was cosmetic rather than actual structural damage that would negatively impact play.

​Material: Carbon, Glass Fiber

Core: Patent Pending Solid Span Technology

Weight: 7.8 oz

Grip Size: 3 ⅞”

Handle Length: 5"

Paddle Length: 15 15/16”

Paddle Head Width: 8in

Paddle Head Length: 10 15/16”

Time will only tell if this technology can hold up to repeated abuse that pickleball paddles take on the court, but the theory behind it makes sense- without the honeycomb core which over time can break down and cause dead-spots, it would seem logical that these paddle bodies with solid core could without this problem.

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